About Us

Our shop is located in the village of Adare in County Limerick, Ireland, where it was first opened when Adare Heritage Centre was built in 1994. It has been owned since then by sisters Eleanor and Rosemary Purcell. Over the years the shop has seen many changes and welcomed many visitors from near and far places. It aims to provide a pleasing selection of gifts, accessories, souvenirs and other selected objects to locals and visitors alike.

The name Black Abbey Crafts was inspired by a name once given to the neighbouring Trinitarian Abbey, the “Black Abbey” and to a nearby area of Adare. The village is sometimes called Ireland's prettiest and is certainly an interesting and memorable spot. The name Adare, or Áth Dara in Irish, means ford of the oak and relates to the village’s long ago beginnings as a settlement at a crossing point of the river Maigue. The later village was owned and developed by the Dunraven estate (belonging to the Earls of Dunraven), of which Adare Manor is at the heart, a history which has strongly affected its appearance, for example the distinctive thatched cottages of its main street, built by the estate in the 1820s. Adare is also known for its many historic buildings and ruins including the Augustinian Priory (founded in 1316) which is now a school and church of the Church of Ireland. Also significant are the Desmond castle on the banks of the river and the aforementioned Trinitarian Abbey (established in 1230), now a Catholic church.

A note on our products: The products featured on our site at any one time are only a selection of what we may have in stock in our physical shop over the course of the year. If you have seen something in our shop which you can't find online ask us and we may still be able to get it for you.

If you would like to know more don't hesitate to get in touch via our Contact Us page.